PLUMBING STOPPAGES – WHEN TO CABLE, WHEN TO HYDROJET
A drain stoppage in your home or place of business is always an inconvenience – and if not resolved, it can soon develop into a major problem and a health hazard. When one of your plumbing pipes or drains becomes clogged, you must clear the stoppage as soon as possible.
Different Tools For Different Kinds Of Stoppages
When you need to clear a plumbing stoppage, you have a choice between several different types of tools to clear it: you can use a chemical solution like Drano, or you can use a plunger.
Then there are hand-powered mechanical cabling devices, power-driven mechanical devices, and devices that blast away the obstruction using a powerful stream of water. The tool you ultimately decide to employ is based on the type of stoppage you have and how serious the stoppage is.
For the simplest stoppages, a plunger sometimes is all you need to clear it.
Plungers are used to unclog sinks in kitchens and bathrooms and also on toilets. The plunger forces water down the drain and pushes the stoppage away.
Sometimes You Need To Use A Cabling Device To Clear The Line
If a plunger doesn’t do the job, a hand-powered cabling or auguring device may be necessary. This device is also called a “plumbers’ snake”.
The cabling device has a metal cable fitted with metal cutters on the end. As you turn the handle, the cutter rotates and drills through the stoppage. If the obstruction is particularly stubborn, electric-powered auguring tools are available for more power and strength.
Bring In The Hydrojet To Clear Really Stubborn Obstructions
Sometimes none of the above devices is sufficient to properly clear the line, or the obstruction is too far down the pipe for a cabling device to reach. In these cases, we bring in the Hydrojet machine.
The Hydrojet develops a powerful jet of water with a force of up to 5,000 lbs per square inch, and can clear almost any plumbing stoppage. The Hydrojet also has a 500-foot cable, so it can extend much further than other devices.
When we encounter a stoppage which requires the use of the Hydrojet machine, we first insert a video camera to camera the line. The video shows us exactly where the stoppage is located, and indicates how far into the line we will have to insert the Hydrojet hose.
Once the exact position of the obstruction has been located, we fire up the Hydrojet machine and insert the hose into the line.
The Hydrojet clears away obstructions caused by a build-up of paper, oil/grease, or sand. It is also very effective in blasting away tree roots which have made their way into the pipes through cracks or breaks in the pipe and continue to grow inside your pipes, eventually destroying the entire pipe, which will then need to be replaced.
The HydroJet Is More Effective Than Any Other Method
The Hydrojet machine does a better job of clearing obstructions than any other method or device. A cabling/auger device sometimes only drills a narrow hole through the obstruction, and can push debris material further down the line, where it can build up again and cause another obstruction deeper in the pipe.
The Hydrojet machine is capable of clearing the entire pipe, and actually scours the sides of the pipe. The powerful jet of water generated by the hydro-jet machine usually removes the obstruction completely and literally blows it away.
Restaurants, Retail Stores And Residential Homes Need Hydro-jetting Regularly.
Every day we are called out to bring one of our Hydrojet machines to clear persistent plumbing obstructions in residential homes, office buildings, factories and retail stores. Restaurants need to have their grease traps cleared at least every three months.
Many famous landmark restaurants in Beverly Hills, La Cienega Boulevard, and Third Street in Los Angeles are our regular customers, and we have ongoing programs with them to come out for scheduled maintenance and we come out regularly to Hydrojet their grease traps to keep things flowing smoothly.
We also service many regional and national retail chains on a regular basis, including CVS/Rite Aid, Ross Dress For Less, Sam’s Club, Sports Authority, Performance Bicycle, and many others.
Choose The Right Method Of Drain Cleaning Depending On The Situation.
In the final analysis, the method you choose depends on several factors:
- The nature and strength of the obstruction;
- The location of the stoppage inside the line;
- The distance from an electric outlet.You have a variety of equipment choices, depending on the nature and strength of the obstruction:
- Plungers and hand-powered cabling devices are good enough for clearing simple stoppages in sinks and toilets;
- An electric-powered cabling device has more power and is more effective;
- Particularly stubborn obstructions need the Hydrojet machine;
Hydro Jetting clears out the pipe completely, rather than just drilling a narrow hole in the obstruction.
Talk to Mr. Speedy Plumbing & Rooter Inc. and schedule an appointment for a Los Angeles master plumber to come out and clear your drains from all obstructions before they become a health hazard.